Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

[savedtheworld]

[Voice]

[It had been easy enough to assume that Sokka had still been kidnapped - that he'd be back any day. It was worrying, but there was still the assurance of his eventual return. Except that eventually, his room was checked. And found empty. There wasn't even a sign of Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. It was hard to believe - when Aang had first gotten to Luceti, he had gotten used to Sokka being the man with the answers. And also a beard. He was like a big figure of the town. And now he was gone. Katara wasn't in a state to announce it herself, so Aang eventually did it. Making it quick and to the point.]

Hi everyone. This is Aang. I'm sorry to tell you all this, but Sokka has gone back home. I know we're all gonna miss him. I already do. But at least at home... the last time I saw him there, he was happy.

[Action]

[Aang spends some time over by the statue of Sokka's head located House 56, studying the image of his best friend. He tries to meditate and tries to imagine the inspiring words that Sokka would usually say. Because he's still afraid of being around other people. And right now, the people dear to him may need him more than ever.]

Comments

voice

[twodragons]

Ah... right. I should probably bring it up with them first. They'd have more of a say over that than me.

[No need to go bossing around people he shouldn't.]

voice

[savedtheworld]

They're both friendly. I'm sure you can work something out.

Do you know a lot about... smithing?

[Just a small twinge of pain as he remembers Sokka and Katara showing him around Luceti on the first day, and explaining to Aang what a smithy was. Which of course involved Sokka praising himself excessively.]

voice

[twodragons]

I don't know anything about smithing.

[He sighs. Being a firebender should help with that sort of thing, right?]

voice

[savedtheworld]

Really? Well at least you got your own swords.

voice

[twodragons]

Yeah, but I didn't craft them. I only know how to care for them.

voice

[savedtheworld]

Oh. Well that's still a good start! The smithy's not just about making things, it's about taking care of them too. Or if it isn't, it should be! I bet lots of people around here could use tips on how to take care of their swords better.

voice

[twodragons]

... I hadn't planned on actually running the smithy myself - just making sure there was enough people who could.

voice

[savedtheworld]

Oh, well then you do whatever you wanna do around here. I'm sure everything will work out.

voice

[twodragons]

You don't think I'll mess things up, do you? I mean what if the other workers are already handling it?

voice

[savedtheworld]

I'm sure you won't mess up whatever you try at, Zuko. You're good at things. [He's not even sure what he's encouraging Zuko to do anymore, but anything's a good distraction from the hurt of missing Sokka.] You just have to talk to the other workers and see what's up with them.

voice

[twodragons]

I'll do that.

And if it turns out they don't need me, then... I can find something else to help with!

voice

[savedtheworld]

Like what?

voice

[twodragons]

... I don't know, I was still working on that part.

Re: voice

[savedtheworld]

Well... Try not to worry about it too much, Zuko. Really, you should try to find something you know you wanna do. If you have to force yourself into any kind of job, then that's not right. There's lots of people here, after all, so there's sure to be someone else to step up to whatever you don't wanna do.

voice

[twodragons]

Yeah, yeah. I know.

I just think I should be doing something more worthwhile. I feel like I'm not contributing.

voice

[savedtheworld]

I feel like you are, Zuko. Even every little thing you do around the house is a help to us. And I'm sure you'll find more ways to help the enclosure as a whole eventually. You're real fire lord material, after all! But there's nothing wrong with not knowing what you wanna do yet.

voice

[twodragons]

Isn't there, though? A Fire Lord has to know how to handle important decisions without wasting his people's time.

voice

[savedtheworld]

But you're not a fire lord yet! [He had insisted on not being called the fire lord yet in the past, so Aang's holding him to that.] And I think the real important part isn't whether or not you take time for something - it's about doing what's right for you and the people, even if it takes time to decide that.

voice

[twodragons]

You would say that, coming from a temple full of monks.

voice

[savedtheworld]

Y-you don't have to say it like it's a bad thing.

voice

[twodragons]

[Sigh] My uncle would probably say the same thing too, though.

voice

[savedtheworld]

[He does perk up a bit at that.]

And your uncle is really wise! You know, maybe he could help you more with these decisions, too.

voice

[twodragons]

Maybe. But I don't want to rely on him all the time either.

voice

[savedtheworld]

That doesn't mean you can't ask him for help some of the times.

voice

[twodragons]

Some of the time. But I have to learn to think for myself.